The Invisible Man Review
8 / 10. An effective sci-fi thriller and scary analogy of real-life abusive relationships *MINOR SPOILERS*
The Invisible Man is a sci-fi horror-thriller film written and directed by Leigh Whannell, based on the book, The Invisible Man, by H. G. Wells (1897).
One of the creepiest films I’ve seen in a while, The Invisible Man is a story that’s been adapted many times, but this is by far the most sinister.
The Invisible Man focuses on Cecilia’s experience of her life trapped with abusive and wealthy engineer husband, Adrian, her escape to start a new life, and then how her life once again becomes filled with fear. Following her escape, Cecilia experiences strange events and feels an unseen presence stalking her …
Whilst there is a sci-fi element to the film, the threat posed a scary reality for many people. Those around her don’t believe that she is being threatened and stalked, as there is no evidence apart from what Cecilia is experiencing alone and people assume she is losing her mind.
The inimitable Elisabeth Moss is perfect for the role of Cecilia, bringing a varying emotional ride to the role which relies on her to propel the story forward. The opening scene is taut and sets the tone for events to come, mainly through Moss’s body language and facial expressions, as she escapes a true monster, only to experience pure torment once more …
The film acts as an analogy of real world stalking, and/or abusive relationships. Even when someone leaves and that person can’t hurt them or be seen, they can still have a very real hold of terror over their target.
Many scenes show the surroundings from Cecilia’s eyes, which is effective, and you are always looking to see if you can see him, if a curtain moves, etc. I’m not sure if sometimes I imagined a presence there, lurking. The CGI effects work well, along with unpredictable scenes and inventive methods to try and expose Adrian, leading to a satisfying, well-planned ending.
Aldis Hodge as Cecilia’s childhood friend, James, and his daughter, Sydney (Storm Reid - great in Euphoria as Rue’s sister), give strong performances and a brief solace to Cecilia’s plight. Oliver Jackson-Cohen is effective in his short number of scenes as Adrian.
“We need each other, don’t we?”